You might be familiar with author/illustrator Grace Lin from when her middle grade book, WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, won the Newbery Honor in 2010 for its contribution to children’s literature. And it is a beautiful book! It reads like a Chinese fairytale adventure story with Lin’s own beautiful full-color illustrations along the way.
Lin is truly talented and has many not-to-be-missed reads, like her very first book, THE UGLY VEGETABLES, or her delightful chapter book, LING & TING: NOT EXACTLY THE SAME. But my very favorite of all is her middle grade debut, THE YEAR OF THE DOG.
This heartwarming book is truly a must read! The main character is a young Taiwanese-American girl who begins the books celebrating the Chinese New Year with her family. Since it is the Year of the Dog, her mother explains that this is the year she should try to find herself.
And that’s exactly what the book’s about. As the year progresses, Pacy navigates family and friendship dynamics, all while working to discover who she is, what she values, and what she’s good at. Because there are very few Asians where Pacy lives, it is often extra challenging as she faces unintentional (but hurtful) microaggressions along the way that are heartbreaking and eye-opening. (Click on the images below for examples.)
I loved the intergenerational aspect to the storytelling with her parents’ and grandparents’ stories within stories and the cute little doodle-like illustrations scattered throughout. Lin’s humor is spot on, too. There were many times where I laughed out loud!
This is an earlier middle grade novel, designed for 8-10 year olds, and while that’s the perfect age, it really is enjoyable for any age. I read it to my boys when they were that age and every day they begged for more.
If you are new to Grace Lin’s beautiful books, I encourage you to give her a try!
Happy reading!
Books for Curious Kids 